A Food Lover’s Dream – Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival

September 29th and 30th marks the date of the 13th Annual Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival. This tantalisingly tasty 2-day event then opens the gateway to a 2-week food-based fringe festival (try and say that 5 times faster!) with 50 food based fun events in locations all over the Suffolk coast and more, it is seriously a true food lover’s dream!

Suffolk, as we are sure you know, is a cornucopia of pleasures when it comes to locally sourced, beautifully prepared food and this statement is never truer than at the time of the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival. Based in the beautiful village of Snape Maltings, just 10 minutes away from our luxury self-catered accommodation here at Mollett’s Farm, the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival plays host to more than 100 local artisan food and drink Producers, thousands of keen foodies, and showcases cooking demonstrations across 2 stages by top local Chefs using only the finest locally sourced ingredients that Suffolk has to offer.

Now if that doesn’t set your mouth watering then maybe you would like to whet your whistle at the Adnams Drinks Experience. For those that don’t know or have never heard of Adnams, first of all where have you been hiding?! and second, you are in for a real treat! Adnams of Southwold is the best-known beer brewer on the Suffolk coast and they have even branched out into distilling their own award winning spirits and importing fantastic wines. Adnams is sponsoring the food and drink festival and will be celebrating the local drinks industry with plenty of discussions, masterclasses, and, of course, tastings!

Image Source: Aldeburgh Food and Drink FestivalHow do you fancy channelling your inner hunter gatherer? Returning to the Festival this year is the wildly popular Wild Suffolk area. Here local expert will teach you all about the seasonal going on that happen all over Suffolk hidden it its hedgerows, woodlands and shores. The experts trained eyes can guide you through the hidden treasures that the county holds representing all things hunted, foraged, gathered and caught. Now that’s got to be more exciting than your average supermarket shop!

A celebration of food and drink would be nothing if the kids couldn’t get involved too, drink doesn’t always have to mean alcohol you know. Some of the artisan producers create some magical fruit cordials that kids will love, and if the kids want to get up to some serious fun the place to be is the Hillfarm Family Meadow. Over the weekend Hillfarm will be organising some fantastic fun and games. The kids get to try their hands at being actual farmers. Watch their excitement grow as they explore the giant combine harvester, ride around on their own toy sized tractors, press their very own rapeseed oil, and even getting hands on with them in making their own pizzas. Throw in some fantastic face painting, a lot of bubbles and much much more and the kids will be having a whale of a time!

Image Source: Aldeburgh Food and Drink FestivalOf course, what we have covered here is just a tiny fraction of the fun to be had at Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival, but it doesn’t stop there. Remember this is a fringe festival, so why not come and stay with us here at Mollett’s Farm for the week? Maybe even two? As we mentioned earlier as the main 2-day event comes to a close the next bout of fun begins with 50 food based fun events all around our local area here on the Suffolk coast. You could visit the Woodbridge Shuck Festival and taste some delightful local oysters, prove your skills at the sourdough workshop, create the tastiest tipple at the vermouth workshop, or for those with a more prevalent sweet tooth wander with wonder at the Pump Street Chocolate Factory tour. Add another 46 events which you can see here, and you will realise there is more than enough to do and enjoy within the wonderful 2 weeks.

All the excitement of the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival is right on our doorstep, and don’t worry if you can’t fit any more food in, you can always visit one of Suffolk’s other famous landmarks such as the famous Framlingham Castle which you can read about here, and we love to help our guests by giving them all the insider information and top tips so always make sure to ask.

All our luxury self-catered accommodation is perfectly suited to a weekend of feasting with nights of cosy comfort and our kitchens are stocked with all the crockery and cutlery you will need to enjoy that fine Suffolk charcuterie and artisan cheese you bought earlier. What a wonderful feast for the senses.